


Always Someone Higher

by Seito



Series: Graveyard Shift [6]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 06:28:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13140990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seito/pseuds/Seito
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo becomes a Living Reaper, not a Substitute Shinigami. Yes there is a difference.





	1. Chapter 1

Ichigo snarled, pacing back and forth. He goes away for a few days to help chaperone a trip for the girls and he comes back to this mess. According to Getaboshi, Rukia had been kidnapped, forcibly taken back to Soul Society by her so-called brother. Uryuu was on his deathbed; his cousin had been attacked by the Shinigami officers having tried to stopped them from taking her back.

His blood boiled, bristling under the threat against his friends and family. Uryuu was his cousin. Rukia was his friend. Karakura was his territory. They dare? They dare to come here, under false impressions and false accusations?

"Calm down."

"They're under the impression that Rukia gave me her powers!" Ichigo growled. His mind whirled, already planning how to get her back. Getaboshi had mentioned a gateway to Soul Society.

The idiots! Rukia had never gave him her powers! Ichigo earned his powers. He bled for them, poured his heart and soul into mastering them.

Incompetent fools. No wonder Ichigo had heard thousands of different complaints about Soul Society. If they can't even get that fact right, then what else were they screwing over? A fucking nightmare.

"Why don't you just order them to turn her over to you?"

Ichigo stopped his pacing. "…I can do that?"

His boss sighed, annoyance gleaming in her red eyes. "Ichigo, I'm Death. You report directly to me. You outrank just about everyone in the afterlife, that  _includes all of Soul Society_."


	2. Chapter 2

 

Kisuke has known Kurosaki Ichigo for a long time. Since the day he was born really, never mind that they hadn't officially met until years later.

He knew, around the time of Masaki's death, that something had changed in Ichigo. He didn't mean Ichigo's new sullen personality either. Isshin was of no help and all Kisuke could do to help the Kurosaki siblings out, was keep their father from falling off the deep end. By the time Isshin was back on his feet, the mystery of the change in Ichigo had faded to the back of his mind.

You could imagine his surprise when Kuchiki Rukia showed up, and nearly beaten by the hollow she had been tracking, that Ichigo pulled a Zanpakuto out of nowhere, slaying the hollow with practiced ease.

When had Ichigo gained Shinigami powers and how had it escaped both Isshin and Kisuke's attention?

"So, Kurosaki-kun," Kisuke said, snapping open his fan. Things had gone pear shaped in the last twenty-four hours. Kuchiki Byakuya and his lieutenant had arrived in the Human World to take back Rukia, reading off a list of crimes that were completely false. He checked, Rukia still had her Shinigami powers, Ichigo's were completely separate and at one point he eavesdropping on  _Ichigo_  giving  _Rukia_  pointers.

The only reason why Byakuya managed to take back his sister at all was because Ichigo was playing chaperone for his sisters on a trip (that no one, not even Kisuke, would trust Isshin on).

Instead, Ishida was the one to fall Renji's blade and when Ichigo returned to find his best friend taken forcibly (strike one), his cousin hurt (strike two), and the reason why (strike three), he went eerily calm at the news.

Kisuke, in the meantime, used Ichigo's silence to process the fact that Ichigo was aware of his heritage, that Ishida and him are cousins and wondered  _how_. Isshin would never, Ryuuken had never mentioned, how did Ichigo find out?

That was over twelve hours ago and Kisuke still didn't have all the answers. (It was unsettling, he wasn't used to it.)

"What exactly is the plan?" Kisuke asked.

He was all in support for Ichigo breaking into Soul Society. Aizen was clearly making his move and this was as good as any to make a strike against him. Rukia's unlawful arrest had his fingerprints all over it.

However, he was against the plan of Ichigo going alone. No friends as backup, and if Yoruichi didn't make it back soon, no guidance either.

"I plan to march through the front door and inform them they have been served and have one hour to turn Rukia into my custody," Ichigo said, scowl set.

How… stupid? Naive? Headstrong? Kisuke had plenty of adjectives to describe how badly that plan sound. Through the front door? That sounded exactly like Ichigo. Honestly, this boy was going to be the death of him. How had Ichigo survived to be this old anyways?

"And," Kisuke said, deciding to humor the boy, "what happens when they fail to do that or to take you seriously?"

"We call our boss."

Kisuke didn't jump, though it was near thing when an unfamiliar female voice answered. He turned to see a woman dressed in business wear, brown hair in a neat bun. Blood drained from his face as he recognized the tiny black wings that floated behind her.

He recognized this woman, though only through rumors, myths and legends and a grainy picture that Yoruichi had once shown him.

"Reaper," Kisuke said.

But how did she fit into this equation? Wait. She had said "we" and "our". Kisuke's head snapped to look at Ichigo, eyes going wide under his hat.

"I never said I was a shinigami," Ichigo said to drive the point home. He grinned, full of teeth like a shark. "If I knew you would react like this, I would have told you earlier."

"Greetings," the woman said. "I am Kaia, Head Reaper from Graveyard Shift. It is a pleasure to meet you, Urahara Kisuke."

This went beyond Gotei 13 and Aizen. It went even beyond the Spirit King. How?!

"Wow I have never seen him like this," Ichigo said. "Is it really that big of a deal?"

Kisuke choked.

Reapers were the thing of legends. The concept of Shinigamis was born from the stories of Reapers. The myths say that Reapers work directly for Death and that Death was in charge of the overall balance and cycle of the afterlife, installing the Spirit King on his throne. Supposedly black wings mark the proof of their position. No one, not even Yamamoto, had ever seen a Reaper before.

Now there was one in his shop? One Ichigo knew?

"It's a big enough deal," Kaia said with a sly smile. "Now let's go pick up Rukia-san, shall we?"

"Right," Ichigo said. "Keep an eye on Uryuu, Getaboshi. We'll be back in a few hours with the midget."

When had all of this happen?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -snicker- Urahara isn't used to not knowing. lmao
> 
> Kaia, this particular concept of Reapers and Death are from my original story Graveyard Shift. 
> 
> Please leave a review on your way out!


	3. Chapter 3

“Another meeting,” Shunsui said, casually scrolling next to Juushiro. “I wonder what this is about?” 

“It was rather last minute,” Juushiro said. “It isn’t like Sensei to call one so last minute.” 

They stepped through the door, revealing the rest of the captains already gathered. “Oh? Are we the last ones to arrive?” Shunsui asked, taking his spot next between Hitsugaya and Byakuya. 

“The Captain Commander hasn’t arrived yet,” Aizen said from the front. He gestured to the empty seat where Yamamoto usually sat. 

“Strange,” Juushiro said. “He’s usually the first one here since he calls the meetings.” 

Shunsui scratched his chin, mulling over his thoughts. There was something odd going on. He couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Shunsui glanced over at Byakuya. The Kuchiki was still as stoically cold as normal. He wondered what was going through the man’s head. After all, Byakuya had just returned from the Human World with his criminal sister in toll. How he wasn’t wasn’t falling apart, Shunsui didn’t know. 

(Shunsui remembered the spitfire Kuchiki Byakuya used to be as a child. It was a shame the elders had finally managed to smother it out.) 

The door creaked opened, revealing Yamamoto. He huffed at them, cane tapping against the floor. “Why have all of you insisted on this meeting?” he asked, doors shutting behind him. 

“You were the one to call the meeting, sir,” Soi-Fong answered. 

“I did no such thing,” Yamamoto said. 

The doors were immediately kicked opened. Everyone slid into a readied stance, on guard for anything. 

There, standing in the doorway was a young man with bright orange hair. His face was twisted with a dark scowl, brown eyes flashing with annoyance. A zanpakuto hanging from his waist, the only touch of that looked like shinigami, clashing with the modern clothes of a teenager from the Human World. 

“Who are you?” Yamamoto barked. 

If anything, the young man’s scowl grew deeper. “I am Kurosaki Ichigo, Living Reaper. This is your notice that you’ve been served and that you have one hour to turn over Kuchiki Rukia to us before Boss gets involved.” 

Shunsui relaxed for a fraction. The boy was spouting nonsense. It was probably a harmless prank. Gutsy for the new recruit. It was going to earn him the ire of every captain for the next century, most likely. 

“Which idiot you put to this?” Soi-Fong snapped. “Which division do you belong to?” 

“You got some balls, kid,” Kenpachi said. 

Gin let out a whistle.

“Now let’s not be hasty,” Aizen said. “I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding.” 

Shunsui suppressed a grin. A misunderstanding, indeed. He didn’t know how the kid did it, but that was pretty good that he managed to get all the captains, even the Captain Commander in this little prank. 

Wait.

Wait a minute. 

Shunsui reran the boy’s words in his head. A Living _Reaper_. Reaper. As in the legend? A chill ran down his spine. 

Ichigo crossed his arms, daring them to challenge him. “Well?” he said. 

“Now see here-” Yamamoto started. 

“He isn’t joking.” 

Everyone turned around. There was sitting on Yamamoto’s usual chair, legs crossed, was a woman. Her brown hair was pinned up in a bun and her expression was stern, giving Shunsui the faint impression he was about to be scolded. A movement from behind her caught his attention right before he felt his heart dropped into his stomach. There floating behind her was a pair of small black wings. 

Reaper. 

“Greetings,” the woman said. “I am Kaia, Head Reaper from Graveyard Shift. Ichigo is right. You have less than one hour to turn Kuchiki Rukia over to us, before Boss gets involve.” 

Boss… as in Death? Lady Death herself? She wasn’t just a personification, an old wives story?

Kaia threw him a sly glance, amusement sparkling in her eyes. “Yes, Boss is Lady Death.” 

“This must be some sort of joke,” Tousen said. 

“Her wings,” Unohana said. “The stories about black wings Reapers. It is were we get the color of our uniforms.” 

“It’s just a myth,” Tousen said. “Carefully made props, I’m sure.” 

Shunsui felt another chill go down as he watched Kaia jotted down notes, watching and observe them. He was old enough to remember what was life was like before Soul Society. He remember the legends and myths, the old stories back when things were without structure. Tousen had grown up after Soul Society had been established. He didn’t know the old stories, or if he did, he passed it off as just that, a story. 

But Shunsui remembered. 

They were being judged. 

And if the scowl on Ichigo’s face was anything to measure by, they were failing. 

“May I ask why you want Kuchiki Rukia?” Shunsui asked, voice cutting through the arguments. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the way Byakuya’s hand was curled up tight in a fist. Maybe he wasn’t so unaffected by this whole situation after all.

“Because you bastards took her on a misunderstanding!” Ichigo snarled. 

Now he recognized Ichigo. He was the supposed human that Kuchiki Rukia had given her powers to. But that wasn’t the case if he was a Reaper instead of a Shinigami. 

“A job offer,” Kaia said, cutting Ichigo’s rant off smoothly. “And for her own protection, seeing as someone has tried to use her a scapegoat for a crime she didn’t commit.” 

Shunsui drew in a sharp breath. 

“By the way, Ichigo. Five and Nine,” Kaia said. 

Shunsui blinked and Ichigo blurred and in an instant both Aizen and Tousen had disappeared. 

Another blink, and Ichigo returned to the same spot he had been standing in by the doorway. 

Kaia jotted down another note. “Boss wanted to speak to Aizen Sosuke and Tousen Kaname. Ichimaru Gin, you’re skating on thin ice.” 

Gin paled, his smile slipping away. 

Shunsui didn’t want to know what those three had done. 

Ichigo crossed his arms. “By the way, you now have 52 minutes left to bring Rukia here.” 

What the hell was going on?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm I wasn't completely happy with this chapter, but I've been sitting one it forever so. *waves*  
> Probably only one more chapter to go. 
> 
> Happy Holidays!  
> Please leave a review on your way out :D

**Author's Note:**

> Death is from my original series, [Graveyard Shift](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10662246).
> 
> I don't know how many parts this is going to be. This was just a crack-y plunny that I had.
> 
> Happy Holidays
> 
> Please leave a review!


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